Born at Wroxeter, Ontario on 19 February 1868, he came with his wife to Manitoba in 1889. They rented farms for several years then bought land at 20-7-19, two miles south of Carroll. In 1902 they bought a farm at 31-7-19 which they operated until 1927 when they quit farming and retired to Brandon.

He was active in his community, serving as justice of the peace, a trustee on the Carroll school board, a director of the Carroll Ploughing Match Association, and a councillor for the Rural Municiaplity of Oakland. In the latter capacity he attended the 1905 founding meeting in Brandon of the Union of Manitoba Municipalities. He provided veterinary service to his neighbours (his wife worked as a midwife and nurse), he was a butcher for the Carroll Beef Ring and he sold insurance for the Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company.